What Makes You Different (Makes You Beautiful)
by letherbeseen
Summary: Lydia has been using Stiles' bat. Oneshot. (Takes place sometime between 5A and 5B. For you-make-me-wander on Tumblr for her birthday!)


**What Makes You Different (Makes You Beautiful)**

 _"They need me. I'm going for it. And yes, with a baseball bat."_

Lydia sat in front of the Nemeton, her legs underneath her. Those words had seem so long ago. Only it had been in the past summer while everyone had gone down to Mexico.

Rain poured down the Banshee's face. Her strawberry-blonde hair was plastered to her shivering shoulders. She could hear him - His scream.

 _"LYDIA!"_

But she hadn't screamed. She hadn't screamed and for that, Lydia was grateful and realized what that meant.

Stiles was still alive.

It had only been a few hours since she escaped from Eichen House. Well, not without some help. Lydia had to get some reluctant allies to help: Peter, Meredith, and Dr. Valack. It turned out that sometime Dr. Valack had been trying to help Lydia recover her memory as Theo had destroyed her mind and left her slightly comatose. It had took her longer than she realized, realizing that her friends were in danger.

 _"My friends,"_ she had told the hallucination of Aiden whom Dr. Valack posed as, _"They're all going to die."_

The warning had left a bad taste in her mouth. But she knew they were going to die if she didn't rescue them. Since her days in Eichen House, Peter and Meredith had taught Lydia about her powers. It had taken some threats and constant pressuring from Peter to unlock the powers within her.

Now, Lydia thought bitterly, she had learned that it was Stiles, not Jackson, who had saved her that night on the Homecoming Dance.

God, she was so stupid! All the signs clearly pointed to it and . . . How could it had taken this long to figure it out? If she'd never been so blinded for her love for Jackson . . .

Could she have loved Stiles too?

If you asked the Lydia she'd been three years ago in Freshman Year this, she probably would have said, _"No and what the hell is a Stiles?"_

But if you asked the Lydia Martin now, well . . .

It was complicated.

She heard footsteps behind her and immediately tensed, crouching as she prepared to attack. Her body turned and the Banshee's emerald eyes flashed.

Scott McCall threw his hands up in a surrender motion. "Whoa. Whoa. Lydia, it's just me."

Lydia let out a sigh of relief. But her eyes narrowed as she didn't trust her vision. Dr. Valack's hallucinations would do that to her. She looked closely and saw that Scott's form didn't waver or distort. He really was here in front of her.

But still, she counted her fingers one by one to make sure.

"Did you find him?" Her voice was nearly a whisper, hoarse from screaming all the time from deflecting her attackers away from her. Using her Banshee scream seemed to harness even more power if she concentrated hard enough. With it, she was able to channel which way her energy rippled toward.

Scott nodded. "Yeah. I brought Liam and Kira with me. Malia's waiting for us at Theo's place. Derek's on his way. So's Isaac."

Lydia knew from where Scott had filled her in on everything she missed that Liam had tried to kill Scott during the supermoon and that Scott had somewhat confessed to Theo that he'd didn't trust Kira. So all in all, everyone was in a really rocky place with Scott as they each tried to repair their broken relationships. But they knew they had to work together and no longer keep any secrets in order to defeat Theo and the Dread Doctors.

Theo had successfully managed to kill Scott before Melissa had revived him. And now, here Theo and his brand new Pack of resurrected Chimeras were, running amok within the town of Beacon Hills.

Lydia had learned that Stiles had been kidnapped by Theo in order to get Scott to cooperate. Theo knew Scott wouldn't let another one of his Pack die like Allison. They definitely didn't want or need another repeat of that.

Lydia rose to her feet, picking up Stiles' silver metallic bat lying next to her. It had lain forgotten underneath Stiles' bed. She'd wondered if he even knew if it had gone missing. If he did have any inkling, he didn't show it. She had grabbed just out of habit, remembering Stiles had always used it whenever there was a fight. And plus, she'd been using it for a while after the whole Benefactor thing, fending off unwanted perverted gross old men off her lawn.

Stiles . . .

Lydia tried not to think what would happen if Theo got angry. She knew what the Chimera was capable of and what he could do to Stiles. She just prayed that Stiles would be all right once they rescued the human.

"All right," Scott began. Lydia saw Liam and Malia approaching. They formed a circle. "Lydia, you said you knew where Theo might've taken him."

Lydia nodded. She had remembered the room Theo had held her captive in before he impaled his claws in her neck. Before, she shuddered to herself, she had went catatonic.

If she ever got her hands on Theo Raeken again, she would kill him. It didn't matter what Scott said. Theo had done much worse than all the villains in the past. He'd succeeded in breaking them. But slowly, the Pack was beginning to come together again.

"Hayden said she'll let us in," Liam cut in. "Me and Mason are still trying to convince Tracy and Josh. Everyone else is on board."

Suddenly, a roar of a motorcycle entered their ears. The engine idled for a bit as Lydia strained her eyes in the darkness to see who the newcomer was.

Scott sniffed. "Isaac."

Lydia hadn't seen the werewolf boy since he'd left for France with Chris. She wanted to ask him how he was doing but knew that this wasn't the right place and time for this.

They needed to save Stiles.

 **_oOo_**

Hayden and Malia were waiting outside of the Dread Doctors' lair, arms crossed over their was also there with her, standing behind the werewolf-hybrid girl as he acknowledged the Pack. Hayden gave a bright smile as soon as she saw Liam. Corey held out his hands and Scott took a hold of the boy's hands. Lydia grasped Scott's shoulder. Kira took a hold of Scott's free hand. Liam shared a quick kiss with Hayden as they watched as Corey became invisible, along with Scott, Kira, and Lydia.

They had a plan. Maybe it wasn't a good plan, but it was a plan nonetheless.

Corey would use his invisibility powers to conceal Scott, Kira, and Lydia from Theo, Josh and Tracy as he led them to the room where Stiles was held captive at. Malia and Liam were already acquainted with Theo with their past meetings. Liam was trying to convince Theo that he wanted to join Theo's Pack while Malia had said she wanted to align with Theo so that she could kill her mother, the Desert Wolf. But while those would truly never happen, Isaac was with Derek waiting in front of the Dread Doctors' lair, waiting for the Pack to extract Stiles and hopefully, wouldn't have to join a fight between Theo and the two remaining Chimeras.

"He's in the surgery room," Hayden said aloud, mentioning Theo, holding Liam's hand as they walked down the dark tunnel. Malia walked behind the invisible trio, keeping her distance, making sure no one was sneaking up behind them.

"Stiles?" Lydia asked quietly.

"He's in the jail place," Corey replied. "Last time I checked. We've kept him fed but I think Theo knows something's up. There's someone else being held with Stiles . . . but we can't find out who it is."

"Well, let's hope whoever it is isn't an enemy," Scott spoke. Corey walked slowly, careful not to make any noise.

Hayden led the way for the Pack, then froze near the tunnel entrance. "He's . . . angry. Be quick."

Corey took a deep breath. While they entered the surgery room, they saw Theo, Tracy, and Josh standing there. Lydia looked closely and saw that Theo was definitely angry, mouth turned down as he shouted. Theo held Tracy up from the floor by her throat, dangling her in the air while she struggled to escape his grasp.

 _"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU?!"_ Theo roared. _"DON'T. QUESTION. MY. AUTHORITY!"_

He threw the Kanima girl to the ground, breathing heavily. Josh rushed to Tracy's aid, helping her to her feet. Lydia felt Scott tense and give a silent growl as he bared his canines, as if he was ready to ditch their plan and attack Theo. Lydia wanted to punch that smirk off of Theo's face too, but she placed a hand on Scott's shoulder, shaking her head. Attacking Theo and probably killing the bastard would have to wait another day.

For now, they needed to concentrate on rescuing Stiles.

Theo's eyes snapped up to where Liam, Hayden, and Malia were standing. "Where the hell were you guys?" he hissed threateningly.

"Looking for Corey," Hayden quickly lied. "You know, he always likes to explore his powers. Being invisible is fun."

"I don't care. Bring him back here now. Or else." Theo glanced at Liam, narrowing his eyes. "What's he doing here? Thought I told you to never return and show your worthless werewolf ass here again."

Lydia struggled to hear Liam's reply, but soon her mind turned to Corey leading them to another dark tunnel. Her heart beat frantically in her chest. She had to know if Stiles was okay. She had to know if he was still alive. Finally, Corey reached their destination. The invisibility faded and soon the True Alpha, the Banshee, and the Thunder Kitsune were visible to all to see again.

Scott nodded to Corey, mustering out a _'Thanks'_ as the Chameleon Chimera headed out to meet Theo. Corey had done all he was asked to. They didn't want to get him into more trouble than he already was, waiting to meet Theo's wrath. Now, they would have to find another way out.

Lydia walked up to the fence, hearing the buzzing of the electricity running through the chain link. "Stiles?"

A shadow moved behind the fence, stepping closer to the light and Lydia squinted to see who it was.

Stiles' face appeared in front of her. Dirt, grime, blood, and God knows what else covered his face. Only his honey brown eyes remained untouched - but those too, etched of sadness, anger, and brokenness.

What the hell did Theo do to him?!

The human took a step closer, careful not to touch the fence as he peered closer at the Banshee. As Lydia watched him, a pained, almost hurt look crossed his face.

Had Stiles been thinking the whole time she was dead during her untimely visit to Eichen House? Did he think she was standing here in front of him, a ghost or a hallucination or a corpse in front of his eyes?

 _"If you die, I'll literally go out of my freaking mind."_

He didn't speak and Lydia wondered if he ever would. She was about to open her mouth and try again when Stiles finally spoke.

"Lydia?" Stiles whispered. His eyes shone with fear. "This is it, isn't it? I'm dead. He's killed me. And now . . ." Stiles' eyes glistened. A deep, trembling breath escaped and fell through his chapped lips. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you, Lydia."

Perplexed, Lydia exchanged worried glances with the others. "Stiles, you're not dead. I'm really here. And I'm not dead either."

Stiles blinked, taking her in, eyes wandering over her Eichen House gown, her drenched strawberry-blonde hair hanging heavily to her waist. He finally seemed to notice Scott and Kira standing behind Lydia. He took a step back. Lydia heard him mumbling, realizing that he was counting his fingers.

Like she had.

Maybe some of Stiles had rubbed off of her in the last year. Maybe she missed him more than she thought she would've. Lydia remembered the last time she saw Stiles was the day they'd been searching for the Nemeton. She'd been angry at him, because she knew something was up with him and he wouldn't tell her. The way he had winced as he moved his shoulder and then _lied_ about it . . .

With a shock, Lydia glanced down and saw red trailing from her pinky finger. Was she bleeding? She didn't remember cutting herself on anything on the way here.

But no, Lydia wasn't bleeding. When she raised her hand to eye level, she saw it was a red string tied to her finger wrapped securely with a tiny bow. Her eyes followed the string, to where it crossed under the chain link and led directly to . . .

Stiles.

His eyes met hers and she knew that he saw the string too, scanning over his own hand in disbelief. They both knew what it meant. They had heard the myths and legends and stories told from Deaton and the Yukimuras.

The Red String of Fate.

Inside, Lydia was screaming. If Stiles was indeed her destined soulmate . . . She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. She thought she wouldn't care about some stupid string about her pinky but it bothered her more than she realized.

 _Stiles can't be my . . ._

Lydia had told herself she would never love someone as deeply than she had before.

First was Jackson. She knew they'd been in a toxic relationship and then he'd died as the Kanima, then came back to life as a werewolf. As if that wasn't enough, Jackson took her heart and stomped on it as he moved away to London.

Second was Aiden. It was just supposed to be a fling. But then it led to more and she wanted more in the relationship. Then he died and left her alone, dying in Ethan's arms as he did so.

Allison. She was like a sister. She understood Lydia in a way that none of the boys did. She actually had someone to talk to, without getting embarrassed about things. But then the Nogitsune happened and Lydia felt her death piercing through her soul, through the bond they had created, screaming her name as she wailed and cried in that dark tunnel at Oak Creek Internment Camp.

They all left her without so much of a goodbye.

And now, Stiles?

Lydia swore she wouldn't let him die. No matter what. She couldn't handle someone else she loved dying and hearing his name chanting in her ears.

 **_oOo_**

Without realizing it, Lydia had stepped forward to the fence and had pressed her hand against it. Stiles had done the same. Together, their hands entwined as best as they could, electricity arcing through their bodies.

A scream ripped through Lydia's throat and she watched the white energy pour from her lips, hitting the fence while Kira's katana connected with the lock.

The electricity immediately fizzled, then died. The fence door slid open. Another figure approached Stiles from behind, whom Lydia figured, must be the other person that was held along with Stiles, like Corey had said.

"We need to go," Scott said. He was already wolfed-out, eyes glaring red, canines formed in his mouth. He was already turning to leave. "Stiles, whoever's with you, tell them they need to come too."

Stiles composed himself together, raising his hands in an almost defensive way, his body language as Lydia read him, saying that whatever he was about to say was important. "Guys, I need you to listen to what I'm about to say."

"Stiles-" Scott began, looking back quickly at the tunnel entrance before he gave his undivided attention to his best friend.

"Look, I know. He's coming," Stiles interrupted. Theo's angry roar of _"MCCALL!"_ echoed down the tunnel, reverberating in their ears. "But just listen to me first-"

"The point is," the person behind Stiles spoke for the first time, stepping into the dim light, revealing himself. Lydia backed away in horror. Scott immediately growled, baring his fangs at the newcomer, while Kira brandished her katana, all preparing to attack.

Theo Raeken stared back at them. "I'm the real Theo. That person down there, wanting revenge on you, McCall, isn't."

No one spoke. They were too shocked to. Lydia couldn't believe her eyes. How was Theo here when they'd just seen him back in the surgery room with Tracy and Josh? What the hell was going on? But now, as Lydia looked closer, the Theo standing in front of her had a slightly different appearance than the Theo they knew. His eyes were dark brown instead of blue and his hair was leaning toward a dark brown than the usual blond she'd seen on him.

"He's telling the truth, Scott," Stiles said. "You know I've never been wrong about my instincts before."

Scott stared at the two boys in front of him, eyes flickering back and forth between Theo and Stiles. He seemed to be considering Stiles' words, unsure whether to believe him or not. Finally, he said, "Then who the hell is that back there?"

"Oh, he's me," the Theo look-alike answered Scott. "Just a more . . . sociopathic and more eviler version - of me."

Theo didn't offer any explanation as the other Theo came charging in with Tracy and Josh in tow.

Theo paused once he spied Stiles and the other Theo out of the jail. His eyes immediately flashed red as he spat out venomously, "I should've killed you when I had the chance!" Lydia didn't know whether he was talking to himself - literally - or Stiles.

Lydia didn't finish her thought because then, Theo charged at Scott, sending them both crashing into the non-electrical fence, buckling and denting under their combined body weight. Tracy launched herself toward Kira, who twirled and spun her katana. Josh took one look and must've decided it wasn't worth it because he turned around and fled. Immediately, Stiles held out his hand, catching the metallic bat Lydia had tossed into his direction. He swung, the bat cracking against Theo's head. The Chimera only groaned in pain, shooting an angry growl and glare toward the human as he rolled off of an unconscious Scott.

He stormed toward the human in an almost predatory way but the other Theo transformed, glowing ice-blue eyes as he leaped onto his twin, snarling and swiping his claws with his arms.

"Look what you've done to me!" Theo shouted at his identical clone underneath, still swiping with his arms. "You killed my sister, you bastard! You -"

The Chimera headbutted into Theo's nose, blood splurging out as he cried out in pain. Theo immediately launched into his feet, literally dragging himself out of the tunnel. Tracy followed closely behind as quick as she could, avoiding Kira's wild swings. Stiles tried to rouse the unconscious Scott off the floor with Lydia trying to help. Scott finally stirred, crimson eyes brighter than before, his mouth curled into a snarl. Together, the foursome chased after both Theo Raekens.

Once they reached the surgery room, they were met with a terrible sight: the three Dread Doctors and the Desert Wolf standing there in front of them. Quickly, they surveyed the scene. The Surgeon had held Isaac's neck while the Geneticist gripped both of Josh and Tracy's arms. Liam laid on the floor, unmoving, Hayden cradling the young werewolf in her arms. A black wolf laid unconscious a couple feet away, crumbled next to the wall. The Desert Wolf had her daughter in a headlock, with a sharp knife held to Malia's throat.

"La Beta," the Dread Doctors rumbled, voices distorted in their chorus. "La Beta."

Stiles turned his head, glancing down at Lydia next to him. Her hand squeezed his for comfort, both of them sharing what could be their last smile to each other.

She wanted to kiss him so badly but knew that it wasn't the right time or place for it.

Lydia could imagine what would happen if she ever had children.

 _"Ooh, Mommy. Daddy. Where'd you have your first kiss?"_

 _"Well, sweetie. It was in a locker room you see and your Daddy here was having a panic attack, so I kissed him to stop it."_

 _The child would wrinkle her/his nose and say, "Ewwww! Where was your second kiss, then?"_

 _"Honey, it was in a middle of a fight when we was fighting the Dread Doctors and the Desert Wolf . . ."_

Dear God, no. She didn't want their second kiss to be in a creepy, abandoned water sewer. Not if Lydia could help it. But if they were going to die tonight . . .

 _No._ They weren't going to die tonight. Lydia would do anything in her power to stop her premonition of death.

Stiles gripped the metallic bat in his other hand and this action made Lydia think. Had there been another reason why she had brought it with her? Other than remembering the memories that had gone with it?

Other than the fact it was Stiles' bat whenever it used it in a fight?

 _"I only got one bat."_

 _"You seriously need to find something other than a baseball bat."_

 _"They need me. I'm going for it. And yes, with a baseball bat."_

Stiles met her eyes, licking his lower lip - and was it her imagination or was his eyes . . . glowing?

She could see the unspoken question in his eyes: _How long have you been using my bat?_

Lydia just shrugged and mouthed, _Since last year._

He didn't seem mad at this at all. Instead, he smiled and then together, the two moved.

It was like something was telling her what to do and judging from the look on Stiles, so did he. Lydia threw her head back and screamed, white energy emitting from her body and her hands. The force sent all the Surgeon flying back while Isaac twisted out of his grasp. Stiles held out his bat, dipping his head as Lydia watched as his hands begin to glow. Blue lightning flickered and sparks skittered around his fingers. When Lydia saw his eyes, she had to stare.

His eyes . . . were pure white.

But somehow, she knew it wasn't the Nogitsune standing in front of her. Was it because of their connection? But otherwise, Lydia knew she was looking at Stiles and he had powers.

Stiles grinned at Lydia and she took a hold of the bat, wrapping her hand over his.

"Ready?" he asked.

Lydia smiled. "Ready."

 **\- FIN.**

 _ **Tell me what you thought about this in the comments! :D Thank you for reading this!**_


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